1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device including an electronic control unit, a wire, and a connector for electrically connecting the electronic control unit and the wire, a wiring unit including the wire and the connector, and an assembling method for electrically connecting the wire to the electronic control unit.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, attachment of a connector to an end portion of a wire has prevailed to electrically connect the wire to an electronic control unit (ECU) (see, for example, JP-A-2003-203696 corresponding to US2002/0098733A1).
As a result of investigation by the inventor, in an electronic device including the ECU, wire, and the connector, the wire extending from the connector sometimes becomes obstructive for space reasons.
For instance, as illustrated in FIG. 14, an ECU 106 may need to be disposed below a seat 101, and a wire 103 may need to be disposed on the seat 101. In this case, as a method for electrically connecting the wire 103 and the ECU 106, a part of the wire 103 and a connector 105 are guided under the seat 101 through a hole 104 formed in the seat 101, and then, the connector 105 may be fitted to the ECU 106. Additionally, in FIG. 14, a direction perpendicular to a plane of paper corresponds to a front-rear direction of the seat.
When a direction to fit the connector 105 to the ECU 106 is not an upper-lower direction (vertical direction) but a horizontal direction, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the wire 103 extending toward a rear side of the connector 105 (i.e., in an opposite direction from a direction of the fitting) needs to be bent in an upper direction from the horizontal direction. Due to a curve 103a formed by itself as a result of this bending, a space 110 under the seat 101 is reduced.
If the wire 103 is bent at the base of the connector 105 beforehand to prevent such a curve 103a, the connector 105 and the wire 103 do not easily pass through the hole 104, or the hole 104 needs to be made larger. In the latter case, comfortableness of the seat 101 may deteriorate.